Saturday, February 28, 2015

2 DAYS IN NEW YORK (2012)

Cast: Julie Delpy, Chris Rock, Albert Delpy, Alexia Landeau, Dylan Baker, Malinda Williams, Daniel Bruhl, Alex Nahon, Kate Burton, Darlene Violette
Marion has broken up with Jack (TWO DAYS IN PARIS) and now lives in New York with their child. But when her family decides to come visit her, she's unaware that the different cultural background held by her new American boyfriend Mingus , her eccentric father, and her sister Rose who decided to bring her ex-boyfriend along for the trip, added to her upcoming photo exhibition, will make up for an explosive mix

I have felt a bit guilty reviewing this movie before I had seen the original, but as of recently I have finally seen 2 DAYS IN PARIS. So here is my review form before with some new insights from after.

I have been a Julie Delpy fan since I first saw her on the big screen in the film BEFORE SUNRISE and had an instant crush on her. She is beautiful intelligent and funny. Over the years her appearances have been more and more scarce. She seems to be getting more involved in film behind the scenes. Here she is star, director and co-writer.

Though it plays with the same aesthetic as he films she is most famous for appearing in BEFORE SUNRISE, BEFORE SUNSET and BEFORE MIDNIGHT only a bit goofier. As this film is more driven by conversations then necessarily action. This films fits as it is essentially a woody Allen film that is partially a love letter to New York and happily is staying in trend with women filmmakers showing their leads as just as neurotic and horny as men. Here the lead is in a family that is mixed and coming together. Not only in a interracial relationship, but also has her family from France visiting and causing all sorts of trouble. Though it breaks those rules as the film takes place over a couple of days and involves many different characters.

Her film reminds you of the style of Woody Allen's films the craziness around the lead character. While she is either nebbish or crazy themselves, but are unafraid to point out their imperfections and be the butt of plenty of jokes. Here actor-director Delpy is not afraid to let the audience know she is not perfect.

It also allows Chris Rock the opportunity to play more the straight man watching all this craziness and bear witness more to the comedic situations rather then being the cause or actually being the one causing them. He gets time to finesse his onscreen image more playing middle aged father rather than some comedic character.

The film is charming as at times it can be raunchy, but innocently so and the film is very re-watchable. You find yourself wanting to spend time with the characters. While approaching the subject of interracial relationships it makes a few jokes but mainly stays away from the subject being the main focus or even a supporting focus of the film.

The film centers around and gives a more female point of view, but isn't overly dependent on showing femininity.

Her sister is a sexy unbalanced riot throughout the film. Not as dry and straight faced as she was in Paris.

At times the family and the characters feel a bit like cartoons though towards the end they feel more down to earth. Especially her father.

Luckily the film doesn't go overboard trying to portray everything as deep and meaningful. It also tends to be more cute rather than funny.

No offense and maybe I am bias. Though the first film was more situational it was fun even when it felt like a bit much. Though I understood Adam Goldberg's character and his frustration. Here with Chris Rock being her romantic interest. I feel the film opened up more and feels more integrated as his race comes into play, but not as much as other films and not as much as it could have. Treating the situation as matter of fact rather then in your face. Also rock's character is more passive though shows his love for her. Where as Goldberg in Paris always seems like he is on the verge of leaving her.

The film shows the difficulty of blending ready made families and interracial relationships though with the later never makes it a large issue or delve into it too deeply, but do mention it a bit.

Chris Rock seems more relaxed and natural on screen than ever before. He doesn't seem as pressured to perform. Though it's strange to see him in this way considering his character is upset and uptight throughout the film.

I found the film particularly funny as Rock’s parents liked and preferred his fiancée’s unbalanced sister Rose (Played By Co-Writer Alexia Landeau) over the more responsible Delpy. Which she was in the first film. Here she seems to have gone through a metamorphosis which I wonder if is a result of being on vacation on foreign soil. So she can be whoever she wants to be.

Julie Delpy wrote the role of Mingus specifically for Chris Rock.

This film doesn't rely also as much on the strangeness of the city as much as he richness of the city and showing the characters more as crazy in the civil city that accepts them as one of it's own.

The only reason this film didn't make my hall of fame list is that this is not only the work from he imagination of an individual. It is a personal story that is something only they could make. It's small scale and intimate though at times the subjects are broad.

In the end the film ends on a more positive and spiritual mood then any of the films or filmmakers she was influenced by.